Death of a Salesman

Death of a SalesmanClose Reading of Willy Lohmans monologue from Act IIGetting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateWilly Loman

Getting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateFirst impressionswhat might you say about the character of Willy Loman? What are some of the details in one or all of the portrayals.2Juicy SentenceWilly (talking about Dave Singleman): When he diedand by the way he died the death of a salesman, in his green velvet slippers in the smoker of the New York, New Haven and Hartford, going into Bostonwhen he died, hundreds of salesmen and buyers were at his funeral.Read the sentence to the left.Break the long sentence into smaller simple sentences for each idea.Why are each of the details included in this sentence?How does each part of the sentence function within the whole?What questions do you have about the whole play based on this sentence?Getting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateUse chart paper or the white board to split this sentence into its smaller parts.3

Getting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateINCLUDE IF NECESSARY:If students need more background about passenger trains. You may ask Who might use this?4

Getting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateINCLUDE IF NECESSARY:If students need more background about the clothing mentioned. Who might use this?

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Getting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateINCLUDE IF NECESSARY:If students need more background about the locations mentioned. Who might use this train route?

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Now read the entire monologue on your own. Annotate as you read with ** Main idea or central to the authors purpose* Authors craft or use of style elements! I love this part! Great writing or idea? Raises a questions, possible discussion point for class?? Something is unclear or confusing to me. I need to ask about this in classGetting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateText Dependent QuestionsQuestions of Key Ideas and DetailsWhy did Willy Loman become a salesman? Cite evidence from the text.What do we learn about Willys character in this scene? Show what words lead you to make that conclusion.Questions of Craft and StyleHow does the use of multiple conjunctions (known as polysyndeton) affect your understanding of Willys character? What do you think the authors purpose was using and 20 times in this short passage?Getting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateAllow for multiple interpretations, as long as students can support their interpretations with examples from the text.Remind students that and is a coordinating conjunction (if they do not talk about this themselves) and that a coordinating conjunction indicates that both sides are equal in value to the speaker.8Breaking it upYou will now be performing ONE line from the monologue.In groups of 2-3, read your line several times. Select one or two key words that seem to convey the meaning or purpose of that line of dialogue. Chart the word(s) and explain next to each why you selected it based upon what you know from reading the entire monologue.Then, rehearse and perform your line with your partners in a way that will show at least 2 different purposes or emotions in mind (angry/explanatory, questioning/afraid, etc.) Be ready to share one interpretation with the class as a whole.

Getting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateDivide the class into pairs or triads (16 groups in all). Give each pair/triad ONE line from the entire monologue. Each group will be asked to pick a key word and explain their selection. After giving them 8-10 minutes to rehearse, have each group perform the line with one emotion/purpose.

9Final AssessmentStudents compare three recorded productions of Death of a Salesman to the written text, evaluating how each version interprets the source text and debating which aspects of the enacted interpretations of the play capture a particular character, scene, or theme.Getting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateThis assessment can be done as a full class discussion, as a Socratic Seminar, or as a written assessment.103 interpretations of Willy Loman

Links given to YouTube performancesfiles too large to includehttp://youtu.be/tOG0kiPJMtEhttp://youtu.be/TXpGQCvtrUohttp://youtu.be/GTkR-YUITFEGetting to the Core

Successful StudentsSuperior StandardsSupportive School ClimateLonger clips from these productions are available for downloading.11SoundJay.com Sound Effects21072.0